At Worst, This Demon Babata Will Let You

"But they won't devote themselves to nurturing you the way I will! To them, you're just a seed, a sapling. Only a genius who has grown up is a true genius to them!"

Babata hurriedly added:

"Besides, becoming my master's disciple doesn't conflict with joining one of the Five Great Powers later. Earth is simply too small, and it doesn't have any suitable cultivation manuals."

"No matter how strong your comprehension is, you can't cook without ingredients..."

Luo Feng had to admit he was jealous. Thinking back to when he became Zhou Ze's disciple, it hadn't been anything like this. He'd been coerced and tempted into it, rather than having his teacher beg him to become a disciple.

But now that he thought about it, if his teacher really became Hu Yanbo's disciple, wouldn't that make him and his teacher fellow disciples? And he'd joined first...

So would his teacher have to call him senior brother?

Luo Feng thought with a mischievous grin.

Zhou Ze had no idea his ungrateful disciple was especially eager to climb the ranks. He shook his head. "I'll pass on becoming a disciple. I've never had any intention of taking a master in this lifetime..."

Babata still wasn't ready to give up. In the universe, the most reliable bond wasn't between parents and children, but between master and disciple.

"My master could go anywhere in the universe without fear! Do you understand? He was the master of the Fallen Ink Star!"

"He wasn't merely an Immortal. He was one of the 'strongest' among Immortal Experts. Back then, he had no fewer than nine Immortal Expert slaves under his command! Even the advanced civilizations of the universe treated my master with the utmost respect."

"Although he's no longer here, he prepared a gift for you. With my guidance and training, you can reach Stellar-level within fifty years, Cosmic-level within five hundred years, Domain Lord within five thousand to ten thousand years, and Realm Lord-level within a hundred thousand years!"

Zhou Ze smiled playfully. "Babata, did you use that same pitch on Luo Feng?"

"Ah! No, of course not. I was just telling the truth." Babata's beautiful eyes flickered, and she looked a little guilty.

Zhou Ze sighed. "Don't worry. Luo Feng is my disciple. As the Fallen Ink Star's only direct disciple, he and I have a very strong bond."

Intelligent Life could be incredibly stubborn when they set their minds to something. She pondered for a while, seemingly recalling something that had just happened. Then, as if she'd worked up enormous courage, she stammered:

"A-at worst, this demon Babata will let you..."

"Huh? (⊙_⊙)?" Zhou Ze froze. Come on, just say it clearly! I didn't hear you. If you explain, maybe I'll give in.

What was that saying again?

At last, we've reached this part...

I never knew you were like this, Babata!

But in the end, Zhou Ze managed to resist temptation through sheer force of will!

"Teacher, Babata, what happened just now? Why did I get 'disconnected'?"

After reconnecting, Luo Feng scratched the back of his head. He had a feeling he'd missed something, or that the two of them had reached some sort of understanding.

"Nothing. Don't let your imagination run wild, kid," Zhou Ze said calmly.

Luo Feng looked at Babata. She changed the subject. "Luo Feng, you two go ahead and get started. I'll build a private virtual space for you."

With that, Babata disappeared.

Luo Feng looked at Zhou Ze with a wounded expression. He felt like a scorned husband.

Time flew by.

On this day, snow fell heavily as clouds drifted across the sky. The villa's heating was on.

On the second floor, in the Training Hall.

Babata connected Zhou Ze and Luo Feng's consciousnesses to the private virtual space at the same time.

Virtual space.

Atop a towering mountain peak, Luo Feng, dressed in white, and Zhou Ze, wearing a gray training outfit, appeared almost simultaneously.

"Hm?" Luo Feng looked around.

The mountain plunged into bottomless depths, and a massive planet filled a third of the sky.

"Surprised?" Babata, with two devil horns growing from her head, floated nearby. "The universe is full of wonders. This can happen when two planets are close together, or when one of them is especially large."

Luo Feng nodded slightly, then turned to Zhou Ze. "Teacher, aren't you surprised?"

"Why would I be?" Zhou Ze asked with a faint smile.

"Okay..." Luo Feng was at a loss for words.

"Now then, from today onward, you will officially receive the legacy of my great master!"

Babata lifted her chin slightly, her exquisite face brimming with confidence. "First, you need to understand this: if you want to build a skyscraper, its foundations must be rock-solid! That's why it'll take you fifty years to reach Stellar-level!"

"If I ignored everything else and stuffed knowledge into your head as fast as possible, I could get you to Stellar-level in three years. But the price would be that you could never reach Cosmic-level!"

Babata had changed into a new outfit. She held a pointer and wore black-rimmed glasses.

Student Luo Feng listened closely, while student Zhou Ze raised his hand to speak. "Babata, I want to reach Stellar-level within three years!"

Babata roared like a demon. "Zhou Ze! Did you even listen to what I just said? Don't you know even the most basic things about a martial artist's cultivation?"

Luo Feng scratched the back of his head. Why did Babata and his teacher start arguing every time they met? What had happened between them back then to leave Babata so unable to let it go?

Luo Feng's imagination ran wild!

Zhou Ze said seriously, "Babata, I'm being serious. You know about the Genius Battle, right? That's my goal."

Babata faltered. "So that's what you had in mind from the start. The Peak Genius War... Even though you have a Domain, it'll still be far too difficult for you..."

"How will we know if we don't try?" Zhou Ze said easily.

All he needed was to reach Stellar-level and qualify for the Genius Battle. With Luo Feng as his safety net, he was guaranteed a top-ten finish!

A life without any pressure was truly dull. So dull...

Of course, before that, he still had to face the coming crisis on Earth. The closer the day came when Earth would enter the vast reaches of the universe, the more frequently Zhou Ze found himself worrying.

"Babata, Teacher, what's the Genius Battle?" Luo Feng asked curiously.

Babata and Zhou Ze answered almost in unison. "You don't need to know. It's too far off for you."

Zhou Ze smiled faintly. "It's too far off for you right now. Keep working hard. Comprehending a Domain is only the beginning; laws are what really matter!"

"Okay," Luo Feng replied listlessly.

He'd already had one cryptic teacher. Now he had Babata too. It was seriously getting to him.

Just then, Babata waved her little hand.

A red castle appeared behind her.

"Follow me." Babata flew toward the castle.

Zhou Ze and Luo Feng exchanged a glance, then ran after her together.

The castle opened. After passing through the Eighteen Iron Towers and the Thirty-Six Beauties, the two soon arrived at the cultivation room on the castle's second floor.

"This is the cultivation room I prepared for you..." Babata pointed to the walls. In an instant, bookshelves covered them, filled with all kinds of books.

Zhou Ze took a deep breath. This wasn't just an opportunity for Luo Feng; it was also a period of rapid growth for him.

As far as he was concerned, the only chance he'd have to change his fate in the future was the Genius Battle!